Feedback on my build...

Hey now! Does my build look good for getting above 60 FPS on games like Skyrim, BF3, Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3? I'll be playing on a 1920 x 1080p monitor...but I don't mind bumping the resolution down to get butter smooth frame rates. I know that frame rates can dip in certain scenes in games...I'm not looking for perfection...I just don't want to play most games at 30 to 45 FPS at 720p resolution.

Thanks in advance.

Budget:
Up to $1700(excluding shipping)

Expectations:
I am looking for a rig that will perform above what I can find from a box box store, and give me a better value than ordering from Dell/Alien-Ware. My goal is to be able to play current games at a very smooth frame rate.

Usage:
Online school work, photo editing, but almost totally gaming.

Special Needs:
I am not really into the idea of water cooling (I know, call me old school)...I like the idea of less things that can go wrong.

Saved Ticket #: 437783

Specifications:
Chassis Model: Corsair Carbide 300R (With Window)
Processor: Intel Core i5 3570K 3.40 GHz (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-M PRO (Intel Z77 Chipset) (Precise Digital Power Design)
System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 600W Corsair GS
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (120GB Solid State (By: Intel) (Model: 520 Series)
Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 2GB (PhysX) (FTW Overclocked EVGA)
Add-on Card: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 1: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (High Performance Cooler)
H20 Tube Color: - Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected
Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: - No Thanks
Enhancements: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
LaserMark: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: Stage 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows 7 CD)
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty

Your build looks really good.

You should have no problems with framerates. The FTW 670 is supposed to be nearly the same performance as a 680. On a 1080p monitor you should get smooth fps on max settings on pretty much every game.

Only thing you would want to add is a second hard drive for storage. I'd definitely keep the solid state drive, but you'll want to add a 500gb HDD, the 120gb SSD will fill up really quickly.

Aside from that everything looks good!

Hi icculus514...    For stage 1 overclock the Hyper 212 is all you need.   Its rated very good.   The Noctha D14 is the best and for stage 2 oc would be good.     Not sure the D14 would fit the 300r. Not sure.   Stick with Hyper 212.

Don't forget the free t-shirt.   



Edited by bprat22 - 23 Dec 2012 at 5:06pm

If you go stage 2 oc I would go with the Noctua D14.   The best cases for it are HafX, 500r, Storm Trooper, 600t grahite color and I think you can ask for 600t white with side window used in ODE lineup.   

If you want to stick with that case and go stage2 overclocking you could consider one of the vortex units. I know you said you didn't want liquid cooling but these aren't true liquid cooling since you never have to do any maintenance on it. They are also extremely reliable.

Just my 2 cents if you want to upgrade the overclock without changing the case.

Also you asked about how long this computer would last, and 2-3 years with no upgrades is what you should get. After that a quick graphics card swap will get you another 2-3 years.

Here's a link comparing a 680 to the 660Ti, the 670FTW being about a 680 in performance.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/647?vs=555

If in the budget I think its worth it, especially a year from now when the difference will matter more.    The difference in gaming from 45fps to 55fps if you figure a good 20% better increase, can matter.   The 660ti does have 25% less memory bandwidth and rendering power than the 670 which hurts certain games like Crysis and Skyrim but in alot of other games it won't matter.

The 660ti will give you great gaming and is a bit better performance per dollar but the 670 gives a little lomger longevity.   Either one will make you very happy so tough call.    $140 is alot of money.

Good luck.